Vinesh Phogat wins gold in 50 kg category at Grand Prix of Spain

Vinesh Phogat on Saturday won the gold medal in the women’s 50kg category at the Grand Prix of Spain.

The two-time World Championship bronze medallist defeated Mariia Tiumerekova, a former Russian wrestler who is now competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete, 10-5 in the final to bag the gold.

Vinesh won three bouts without much difficulty to storm into the final.The 29-year-old former Asian Games gold medallist first beat Pan American champion Yusneylis Guzman of Cuba 12-4 on points.

She then registered a win by fall against Madison Parks of Canada, a silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, Vinesh beat another Canadian Katie Dutchak 9-4 on points. After her training-cum-competition stint in Spain, Vinesh will travel to France for a 20-day training stint in preparation for the Paris Games.

On July 3, Vinesh Phogat received her Schengen visa with help from the government after initially posting on X that she wasn’t getting the visa.

She initially sought “urgent help” from Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Ministry of External Affairs as she did not have information on her visa.

“Dear authorities, Im requesting for urgent help. I applied for my Schengen visa in Bangalore on 24th june. I have to leave tonight for a competition in Spain on 6th July but have no information on visa.
“Requesting @mansukhmandviya @BangaloreFrance @MEABharat to help,” she had written on ‘X’.

Around three hours later on the same day, Phogat informed that she has got her Schengen visa.

“I have just now received my Schengen visa. I would like to sincerely thank all the authorities who have helped me get the visa so quickly. Means a lot. Thank you @mansukhmandviya @BangaloreFrance @MEABharat @DGSAI, TOPS and MOC team,” she wrote on ‘X’ again.

(With Agency Inputs)

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